Inception

Movies very, very rarely live up to their hype.

Such is not the case with Christopher Nolan's Inception. Everything from the story to the special effects, the acting to the score come together in what I can only describe as a perfect storm of cinematic entertainment.

The plot is so intricate and consists of so many layers, you don't want to blink for fear you'll miss something important. You've seen the trailers, so you understand the most basic concept of the film: dreams have become fair play; they can be tapped and important information stolen right from our minds. This barely scratches the surface of Inception.

In Inception, Leonardo DiCaprio's Dom Cobb is a thief that extracts top secret information from corporate moguls. One of his clients hires him to plant an idea (a.k.a. an Inception) rather than steal one.

One of the criticisms that I've read is that the audience doesn't understand why the client wants this done. The movie isn't about the client's motivation. It's about what Cobb has to gain by pulling it off.

The scenes within the dreams were very Matrix-esque. Perhaps that's why Joseph Gordon-Levitt reminded me so much of Keanu Reeves.

I must admit, I went into Inception knowing little about this movie. I had heard the hype...that it was supposed to be the best movie of the year...some say the decade. I knew Leonardo DiCaprio was in it, and I had seen Joseph Gordon-Levitt in the trailer.

So when Ellen Page entered the scene as Ariadne, I actually thought "Juno? Really?" Not to typecast, but this did movie did not seem to be within her genre, it was too intense. However, I was wrong. I had my doubts, but she pulled it off. My preconceived notions lasted less than 4 seconds.

Leo's performance was edgy, tense and emotional. He pulls you into the story and along on the ride. The movie is over 2 hours in length, but it since it lacks drag, it doesn't seem overly-long. (Hint, when seeing a movie that is 2 hours or longer, I skip the concession line...that way there are no emergency bathroom breaks.)

If you are looking for a thriller that's worth every penny, get yourself to Inception. I'm giving it 4-1/2 popcorns, with extra salt and butter.